Explore the Family Name Lichtenstein
The meaning of Lichtenstein
1. German: habitational name from any of several places called Li(e)chtenstein, from Middle High German lieht ‘bright’ + stein ‘stone, rock’. All take their name from a castle which formed the original settlement. 2. Jewish (Ashkenazic): artificial name composed of German Licht ‘light’ + Stein ‘rock, stone’. Some characteristic forenames: Jewish Hyman, Meyer, Gerson, Isidor, Mayer, Moshe, Pinchas, Aron, Avi, Benyamin, Benzion. German Kurt, Gerhard, Grete, Hans, Heinz, Otto, Theodor, Ute.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Lichtenstein in the United States?
The surname Lichtenstein has seen a slight decrease in popularity over the years, according to data from the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2000, it was ranked as the 12,282nd most common surname in America, and by 2010, its rank had slipped slightly to 12,602, representing a 2.61% drop. Despite this downtick in rank, the total count of individuals with this last name actually rose by 5.77%, from 2,322 in 2000 to 2,456 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #12,282 | #12,602 | -2.61% |
| Count | 2,322 | 2,456 | 5.77% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.86 | 0.83 | -3.49% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Lichtenstein
In terms of ethnic identity, the Lichtenstein surname is predominantly associated with those identifying as White, as per the findings of the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2000, 96.25% of those named Lichtenstein identified as White, although this figure saw a slight decline by 1.01% in 2010. The next two largest ethnic groups were Hispanic and Asian/Pacific Islander, comprising 2.24% and 0.30% respectively in 2000. By 2010, both these groups saw increases with Hispanics rising by 30.80% to make up 2.93% of the total, and the Asian/Pacific Islander category witnessing a significant increase of 76.67%, reaching 0.53%. Furthermore, 2010 marked the first recorded instance of individuals with the Lichtenstein surname identifying as Black or Two or more races, albeit at very small proportions.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 96.25% | 95.28% | -1.01% |
| Hispanic | 2.24% | 2.93% | 30.8% |
| Two or More Races | 1.03% | 1.02% | -0.97% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.3% | 0.53% | 76.67% |
| Black | 0% | 0.24% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Lichtenstein ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Lichtenstein is Ashkenazi Jewish, which comprises 61.5% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (13.3%) and French & German (10.0%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Italian, Scandinavian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Greek & Balkan.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Ashkenazi Jewish | 61.5% |
| British & Irish | 13.3% |
| French & German | 10.0% |
| Other | 15.3% |
Possible origins of the surname Lichtenstein
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Lichtenstein have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Lancashire, United Kingdom | 38.40% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 38.40% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 38.40% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 38.40% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 38.40% |
What Lichtenstein haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Lichtenstein is E-M5021, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup E-M5021 is descended from haplogroup E-M96. Other common haplogroups include G-P287 and J-M172, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Abrahams, Fleischer, Pollak, Dimarco, Resnick, Jaffe, Lazarus, Rosenblum, Rothman, Haber.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Lichtenstein surname are: H1, J1c, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins E-M96
Your paternal lineage may be linked to early European farmers
If you have haplogroup E1b1b1, your paternal line stems from a branch of E-M215 called E-M5021. Men bearing this lineage migrated from the Balkans to southwestern Europe during the spread of agriculture by early farmers in the agricultural revolution, which began about 10,000 years ago in the Fertile Crescent. Early members of haplogroup E1b1b1, some of the world's first farmers, had a competitive advantage over native men, who didn't have farming technology. As a result of this advantage, haplogroup E1b1b1 became widespread and populous during the agricultural revolution. The effects of this ancient advantage are still seen today, with haplogroup E1b1b1 being represented from Portugal and Spain to Palestine, southern Africa, and Russia.
Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Lichtenstein have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Lichtenstein" Surname 40.7%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Cheek Dimples
Small indentations that appear on the cheeks when a person smiles.
"Lichtenstein" Surname 29.4%
23andMe Users 37.6%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Lichtenstein" Surname 14.7%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Lichtenstein" Surname 14.3%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Lichtenstein?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Lichtenstein are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition